Not Starkey's Favourite Method of Fund-Raising
by KormaKeTe
Summary: Mason Starkey. The unwind who actually deserved to be unwound. This summary isn't working. Almost chapter 47 of Undivided except Starkey doesn't die. Instead, he comes of much, much worse. One-shot, rated T because i'm slightly paranoid. Yeah... I'm giving up on this summary. R&R


**Hello readers! Now, i don't know about you but during the wait for Undivided, I really, ****_really_**** wanted Mason Micheal Starkey unwound. Yes, he died but still, he deserved to be unwound (he is also the only person who deserved that.) Anyway, this is almost the cannon story except it's told from Starkey's POV (sort of) and the machine was just a little faster. Neal Shusterman owns the unwind dystology and I am not even going to attempt to challenge that. Anyways, Enjoy! :)**

"You? Where am I? Why are _you_ here?" Starkey says staring up at the face of Connor Lassiter. He can't move so he knows something is wrong. He had been told he was going to be in the fundraising division but… The truth hit him harder than anything ever had before. Unwinds sold on the black market were worth a whole lot of money. He was going to be unwound. So was Connor, but that thought created little comfort. He knew there was only one person who could possibly save him, one person who he now knew through a mutual hate.

"Please Connor," he says, wishing the word 'please' didn't make him feel so weak. "However much you hate me, you have to do something!" Connor leans down and tries to free him but his efforts are hopeless, he is stuck to the conveyor belt and there is nothing that can save Starkey from his fate. He begins to wail.

"Fund-raising," he says, "the clappers told me I had a new job in their fund-raising division. How could I have been so stupid!" Starkey struggles harder and his rage brings tears to his eyes. "All I wanted was to give the storks a fighting chance! And revenge for all the mistreatment and unfairness. I did that, didn't I? Tell me that I made a difference!"

Connor hesitates. "You made people take notice."

That's almost the same thing, isn't it? Almost.

Connor puts his hand on Starkey's shoulder, "This is one escape your not going to make, Mason. Try to relax. Use this time to prepare yourself."

"No! It can't be! There's got to be a way out!"

"You're in a plane in the middle of God knows where! You ar ein front of a machine that cannot be stopped. Use these minutes to focus, Mason. Use what time you have left to put your life in order!"

Well, fuck Connor. There is one escape. Starkey closes his eyes and breathes, calming himself. "I know how you can keep me from being unwound."

Connor doesn't get it yet. "I told you, there's nothing I can do!"

"Yes there is," Starkey says, "you can kill me."

Connor steps back.

"Kill me Connor. I want you to. I _need_ you to."

"I can't do that!"

"Yes you can. Think about the graveyard. Think about how I stole that place. And I killed trace Neuhausser-did you know that? I could have saved him, but I let him drown."

Connor grits his teeth. "Stop it Starkey." He can tell he's hurting Connor, driving him so he keeps going.

"Kill me for the things I've done, Connor! I know you think I deserve it, and I'd rather die by your hand than go into that machine!"

"What good will it do? You'll still go into that machine!"

"No, I won't. My body will go in, but I'll be gone.I'll be harvested but I won't be unwound!"

He can see Connor glance down at his hands. He clasps and unclasps them again.

"That's right Connor. Make it fast-I won't resist."

"Let me think!"

"No time! Do this for me. Please! What if it were you? What would _you_ want?"

Connor grips his hand around Starkey's neck. Starkey gasps but it's more of a reflex than anything else. Connor's hand squeezes tighter, shutting of his windpipe. He is nearly gone.

Then the hand unclamps.

"Don't stop. Don't stop now!"

Connor glances at his hand quizzically.

"You're a coward! You've always been a coward!"

"No, that's not it," Connor says. "He couldn't kill you."

"Your arm," Starkey realises out loud.

Connor nods. "Roland. He never had it in him to be a killer."

"Then use your other hand! Kill me now."

"I'm sorry," he says. "I can't."

"What?" Starkey says before realising the machine is opening. "You coward!" he yells. "I hope you get unwound next!" But Connor doesn't hear because the black box has already closed around him.

"Hello, **Ma**_son _**Star**key. Welcome to your divisional experience! I am your fully automated Unwinding intelli-system, but you can call me UNIS."

Starkey knows it's over. Now he can only hope that the storks go down fighting,and hope that the divided state is better than what it seems.


End file.
